Valve structure



Oct. 16, 1956 A. R. BAER 2,766,914

I VALVE STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 27, 1953 2 Sheets SheeI l "I "III "I I. I "111,10 ,111"1,11,11,11

V Jar/A 1?. EH64? Oct. 16, 1956 A. R. BAER 2,766,914

VALVE STRUCTURE Fild Feb. 27, 1955 r 2 Sheets-Shem 2 INVENTOR. 411,07 1?. 5.466

United States Patent #Ofilice 2,766,914 Patented Oct. 16, 1956 VALVE STRUCTURE Austin R. Baer, Chestnut Hills, Mass.

Application February 27; 1953, Serial N 0. 339,317

4 Claims. (Cl. 222-394) The present invention relates to a valve structure in general and to a valve structurein particular which-concerns itself with the dispensing of liquid or semi-liquid 'material.

Dispensers for whipped cream, liquidsoap 'or the like by means of gas pressure have been proposed before, yet

ner and asecond member, one of the members having atleast one small opening normally closed by the other of the said members due to the inner pressure in the can and opened by merely moving the said other member out of its normal'position.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a valve structure which comprises a head member which is secured to an opening of a can in a pressure tight manner and which receives a metaltube having a small opening in'a sleevelike formation thereof, the opening of the metal tube being normally closed due tothe inner pressure in the can and being lifted from its position adjacent the said head member by mere pressure exerted on the metal tube.

With these and other objects in view, which'will become apparent in the following detailed description, the

--present invention will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a sectional elevation of the valve structure;

Fig. 2 is a section along the lines 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1 in dispensing position;

'Fig. 4 is a section along the lines 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is-a fragmentary sectional view showing'a' variation of the connecting means between the head member and the metal tube;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of a second embodiment of the valve structure;

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 in dispensing position; 7

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of a variation of the second embodiment of the valve structure;

1 Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation of the embodiment shown in Fig. 8 in dispensing position;

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation of a third embodiment of the valve structure;

Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation of the structureshown in Fig 10 in dispensing position;

Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation of the-fourth embodiment of the valve structure;

Fig. 13 is a sectional elevation of the embodiment shown in Fig 12 in dispensing position;

Fig-14 is a section along the lines 14-14'of Fig. 12;

sleeve extension 5.

Fig. 15 :is an exploded sectional elevation of'the fifth embodiment 'of the valve structure;

Fig. 16 is a bottom fragmentary plan view of the can;

Fig. 117 is a sectional elevation of the fifth embodiment of'the valve structure'iu assembled position; and

Fig. 18 is a sectional elevation of the valve structure shown in Fig. 17 in dispensing position.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 to 5, a can 1 which contains the goods to be dispensed as, for instance, whipped cream, liquid soap or the like, under'gas pressure in a conventional manner, is equipped with an opening 2.

A head member 3, of preferably cylindrical or oval outer shape, has at its bottom aflange formation 4 into which'the edge of the can opening tube is inserted in-a pressure tight manner. Since the headmember 3 ispreferably made of rubber or any other similar suitable'maerial, the pressure tight connection between the can opening and thehead member 3 may be brought about in an easy manner, namely, by pressing the flange formation 4 over .the edge of the can opening 2. The head member is closed at its top and its-side wall is formed at one side to greater'thickness than the other side, which thick Wall formation is adapted toifcrm abase for a sleeve extension 5 of the head member 3. The s eeve extension 5 extends in .sideward directionfrom 'thehead member 3 andstarts near the top of the thick wall formation 6 to form a substantially cylindrical .tube 7 to extend integrally from the head-member 5, so that one portion ofthe sleeve extension is disposed inside the head member 3 while anotherportion is disposed outside thereof.

Thesleeve extension Sis adapted to receive a tube 8 of metal, plastic or any other suitable material, the length of which tube '3 is substantiallyddentical with that of the The tubes is open at its outer end and closed at its inner end and is equipped near its inner "end withan'opening 9 disposed at its periphery, which vopeningii normally is pressed against'the thick wall for- -mation 6 of the head'member, which pressure is brought about by the gas pressure inside the can 1 exerted upon the inner part-1G of the sleeve ertension.

:The' tube 8 may be connectedwith'the sleeve extension 5 by providing-a bent-over flange 11 at its outer end, which flange 11 receives the outer end of'the sleeve extensions (Fig. 1). Instead, providing 'the'flange 11, his possible to'provide a plurality of circular groove formations 12 on the-inner side oft'he .sleevei'5', as shown, as a variation, inFiguSof the drawing. The tube 8' is, in this case, equipped with a number of outer ring formations which are received by the corresponding grooves of the sleeve extension 5'.

As indicated above, the opening 9 of the tube 8 will normally 'be pressed down on the thick wall formation 6 of the head member 3. Upon exerting pressure with one finger on the'top portion of the sleeve extension 5 at a point indicated by the arrow 13 .inFig. 3, the sleeve extension 5 and thereby also the tube 8 are pressed in downwarddirection overcoming the pressure exerted on the inner partlt) of the sleeve extension 5, which brings about a lifting of the tube'S and thereby of its opening 9 from the thick wall formationfi and'thus establishing communication between the inside of the can and the tube 8. Figs. 2 and 4 indicate the respective positions of the tube 8 in normal. and pressed-down position, respectively.

While Figs..1 to 5 establish anew principle'for a simple valve structure designed for the mentioned particular purpose, Figs. 6 and 9 show an embodiment in which the same principle is used, however, with slightly changed structure.

The'can 1 is equipped in this embodiment with a" preferably-pointed edge;portion 14 :at'itstop, which 'edge portion 14 is adaptedto be used as'pivot point for the stantially a tube formation. The flange 4 is secured to the edge of the opening 2 of the can 1? in a conventional air tight manner. The tube 3 is turned in sideward direction to form the sleeve extension which receives the tube 8 The tube 8 is again open at its outer end and closed at its innerend and is alsoequipped with an opening 9 disposed near its inner end. The opening 9 of the tube '3 will normally be closed by the inner face of the sleeve extension-5 Upon exertion of pressure by a fingeron the tube 8 at a point indicated by the arrow 13 in Fig. 7, the outer portion of thetube 8 will be lowered, while its inner portion will be lifted, thereby raising the opening 9 from the inner face of the sleeve extension S 'and establishing communication between the can 1 and the tube 8 Since the sleeve extension is made of rubber or similar suitable material, the lifting of the inner portion of the tube 8 may be brought about 7 shown in Figs. 8 and 9 theexertion of pressure on the or any other suitable material. 7 tubular extension of the head member 3 has an axial V channel 3a which surrounds the tube 8 so that the pressure present within the can 1 reaches the top portion of. the tube 8 The latter has a small opening 9 preferably at its bottom peripheral portion, which opening 9 is normally closed by engaging the inner face of a the sleeve 5 Upon exerting slight pressure on the head member 3 at a point indicated by the arrow 13 in Fig. 13 the opening 9 will be freed from engagement with the inner race of the sleeve 5 and thereby establishes direct communication between the inside of the can 1 and the tube 8 for dispensing of material from the can 1 through the tube 8 i Referring now to Figs. 15 to .18, which discloses a fifth a longitudinal body which on its outer face has an upper half portion with downwardly increasing diameter, to

- provide at about the center of its length a set-ofi to as tube 8 must be applied at a point which is located within opening 2 of the can 1 by means of the flange formation 4 in a pressure tight manner and the head member 3 is turned in sideward direction to form a sleeve extension 5 The latter receives the tube 8 which is opened at its outer end and closed at its inner end. While the opening '9 was disposed in the embodiment shown in Figs. 6 and 7 at the bottom portion of the periphery of the'tube 8 in the embodiment of the Figs. 8 and 9 the opening 9 is disposed on the top portion of the periphery of the tube 8 'The opening 9 is normally. engaging the inner face of the sleeve extension 5 and upon exerting pressure at a point inside the peripheryof the canv 1 indicated by the arrow 13 in Fig. 9, the inner side of the tube 8 will be lowered and the opening 9 thereby, removed from engagement with the inner face of the sleeve extension 5 thereby, establishing communication. -'between the can 1 and the tube 8 I V The embodiment shown in Figs. 10 and 11, is designed to provide a closing valve structure for any tube. In order to achieve this end a tube 3 open at its end receives a sleeve extension 5 which is mounted on the end of the tube 3 and extends for an appreciable length beyond this end. The sleeve extension is preferably'made of rubber or other similar suitable materialand is adapted to receive a second tube 8 open at its outer end and closed at its inner end. Adjacent its inner end an opening 9 is provided at its periphery, which opening 9 removal of the inner face of the sleeve extension '5 from the opening 9 and establishes communication between the'tubes 3 and S 1 j The embodiment shown inFigs. '12 to 14 comprises again a can 1 The opening 2 receives a vertically disposed tubular extension'ofthe head member'3 The latter is substantially horizontally disposed and is formed to a sleeve 5 which receives a tube 8 of metal, plastic,

sume an appreciably reduced diameter, from which point the outer surface extends downwardly substantially'with a cylindrical shape, to form another narrow neck portion and to terminate in a slightly widened portion towards its lower end. The head member 3 has a vertically'disposed tubular channel 3a open at its upper end and terminating short of the lower end of the head member 3 and a plurality of radially disposed channels 3b extend from the lower end of the channel Sa in substantially horizontal direction towards the outer face of the head member 35. i

The ring member 30 is inserted into the tapered portion In of the can 1 and the ring member 3c has an inner diameter which substantially correspond with the outer diameter of 'the head member 3 at a point where the radially disposed channels 3b are provided. The

ring member 3c is adapted to receive the lower pfor tion of the head 'member 3 which is retained in connecting position with the can l by engaging the opening of the tapered portion 1:1 with the narrow neck portion at the lower end of the head member 3 The length between the neck portion and the set-ofi portion of the head member 3 is chosen in such manner that upon insertion of the head member 3 into the opening of the tapered formation In of the can 1 the ring member 30 is subjected to pressure by the set-ofl portion of the head member 3 and is pressed on the one hand toward the outer face of the tapered formation 1a andon the other I hand toward the cylindrical outer face of the head member 3 thereby closing the radialc'hannels 311 Upon slight exertion of pressure substantially at a point indicated by the arrow 13 in Fig. 18, 'the head member 3 will assume a slightly tilted position by turning upon the lower neck as its pivot and free'from engagement at least one of the plurality of radial channels 3b and thereby establishing connection between the inside of the can 15 and the vertical channel 311 as shown in Fig. 18. While I have disclosed several embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that these em- 1 set-off to a smaller diameter in the direction of the body The vertically disposed opening and adjacent its bottom a narrowed neck portion, the latter being received in the said opening of the said tapered formation, the said first member having an axial channel open at its upper end and closed short of the lower end of the said first member, a plurality of radially disposed channels extending from the said axial channel to the periphery of the said first member, a second ring-shaped member disposed between the said tapered formation of the said hollow body and the set-01f portion, as Well as the peripheral portion therebelow of the said first member and closing all said radially disposed channels of the said first member, the distance between the said set-off portion and the lower end of the said first member being chosen in such manner that upon insertion of the said first member into the opening of the said hollow body, pressure is exerted towards the said second member, to provide a good closure of the said axial channels in inoperative non-dispensing position and to open at least one of the said axial channels upon tilting of the said first member upon the said opening of the hollow body as pivot point.

2. A device for dispensing liquid and gaseous material under pressure comprising a hollow body having an inwardly tapered formation, an opening into the body at the inner end of said formation, a head member disposed substantially along the axis of the tapered formation, a set-off on the head member providing a retaining and sealing surface facing the opening into the body, a neck portion and adjacent larger end portion on the head member, said end being slightly larger than the opening in the tapered formation and retained by peripheral engagement with the opening to prevent outward movement of the head member, a sealing ring fitted around the head member above the neck and held in compression by the setoff against the tapered formation, a channel extending through the head from the outer end of the head member to the surface of the head member under the sealing ring, means permitting passage of the material into the tapered formation wherein the contents are sealed by the head member compressing the ring and released by pivoting of the head member about the opening to compress the ring on one side and open the channel on the other, the seal of the set-01f against the ring member and the ring against the tapered formation remaining unbroken.

3. A valve structure for dispensing liquid and gaseous material comprising a hollow can having in one wall thereof a downwardly tapered formation, an opening at the inner end of said formation, a valve head member having a narrow neck portion at its lower end, a set-off on said head member providing a retaining surface facing the opening, a first channel within the head member extending from the outer end of said member along the axis, second channel means below the set-off extending from the first channel to the surface of the head mem ber, a flexible ring member closely fitted to the head member over said second channel means and received within the downwardly tapered formation in the container, said ring member being retained in compression by the set-off from the head member, the head member being retained by the passage of its lower end through the opening in the tapered formation whereby the material in the container passes said opening and is retained by pressure of the set-off forcing the ring member against the container while release of the material is effected by pivoting the head member about the opening to compress the ring on one side and expose the channel on the opposite side permitting the material to flow out through the head member.

4. A dispensing container comprising a hollow body having in one wall thereof an opening at the bottom of a downwardly tapered formation, a dispensing valve assembly fitted to said tapered formation comprising a valve head member having a bulbous lower end extending through and held by said opening, a set-off on said head member providing a surface facing the opening, a compressible sealing ring member on the head member adjacent the set-off, and channel means connecting the outer end of the head member to the surface of the head member under the ring whereby the head member is held by the opening and the ring member is retained in compression against the surface of the tapered formation by the set-off on the head member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,612,293 Michel Sept. 30, 1952 2,615,597 Tomasek et al Oct. 28, 1952 2,621,014 Efiord Dec. 9, 1952 

